Improved clasp for hitching-straps



UNITED f STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

MAnLoN n'. MARGERUM -AND TnoMAsP. MARSHALL, 0E TRENTQN, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVE!) CLASP FOR- HITCHING-STRAPS.

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known.. that we.. MAHLON R. MAR- GERUM and THOMASv P. MARSHALL, both of the city of Trenton, i-n the county of Mercer and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Buckle or Clasp for Hitching-Straps; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference beinghad to the annexed drawings, making apart of this specification, in which Figure l represents a perspective view of a portion of a bitching-strap with the two parts of the buckle or clasp attached thereto previous to its being fastened together. Fig'. 2 represents the same when the buckle or clasp isfastened together, and Fig. shows a longitudinal vertical section of the clasp.

Similar letters of reference in cach of the figures indicate corresponding parts.

Thisinvention consists in arranging one part of'the buckle or clasp in such a manner that it sli'des freely on'the strap when required, having a key-hole perforated through the upper side thereof. The other part of the buckle, which is firmly secured to the end of the strap, is provided with a key. to lit into the aforesaid hole in the sliding part of the buckle. When this key is inserted into the hole'and turned partly around, it unites the two parts of the buckle together, and yby its pressure on the strap holds the same firmly in any required position.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use our inventiornwe will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

AB represent the sliding part of the buckle, which may be made of metal or an y other suitable material. In order to permit the strap to slide through it the under portionis removed or hollow, and two slots cut or cast in each end, as shown at A L and B L in Fig. 3. Through these two slots' the strap E F G is passed.

H H shows the key-hole formed in theA upper. side of this sliding piece, directly over the hollow in the under side thereof.` C D represents that ,part of the clasp .or buckle which lis to be firmly fastened to the .end of, the strap.

K N is the key, whichis made to pass freely into the hole H H. The shank part- K of this key is rounded, so that when the part N is depressed into the hollow of the sliding part the key may be turnedand retained therein.` The slots A L and B L,i through which the strap is passed in the sliding part. of the buckle, may be made inclining towardthe hollow thereof, or, if preferred, they may be formed parallel with the uppersurface of this portion of the buckle.

The operation is as follows:

then brought` back to thesliding partand the key y.inserted into the key-hole thereof` hollow of the sliding part. and clamp it between the slot `so as to create sucient fric-` tion to fasten the end of the strap and retain s the buckle in any required part of the strap most desirable' for h'itching.` In order to loosen the strap from said post or ring -1t is necessary to turn the key around until it can be withdrawn from the key-hole, when theend of the strap is immediately released.

This buckle or clasp is intended particu,- larly for halters or bitching-straps, whereby horses may be readily. secured to a post or tree or the like. Y

We donot lclaim separately, or in themselves considered, the several parts or devices,

'as set forth and described in the accompany-` ing specification and drawings; but l What we do claim as a new article of man u facture, and desire to secure by Letters Pat.-

ent, is-

The arrangement of the hole H and key K,

in combination with the sliding partAB, for

fastening bitching straps,

above described, and for the purposes set MAHLON R. MARGERUM. THOMAS P. MARSHALL.

Witnesses:

A. B. THORN, Wn. WEST.

VIi' the end'ofI i the strap, with the key attached thereto, 1s passed around a post or through a ring and substantially as 

